Gateshead’s Elliot Slessor booked his place in the second round of the Scottish Open for the first time, after beating Scotland’s Rhys Clark 4-2 on Tuesday.

Clark set the tone of the match with a quick-fire start, winning the first frame 64-15, with Slessor struggling to get going. Slessor then responded perfectly, winning the second frame comfortably by 64 points to seven, not giving the Scot much table time.

With two one-sided frames previously, the third frame was a tight affair, and ended in a thrilling black-ball-finish, going Clark’s way to take a 2-1 lead on frames. The Gateshead man once again responded in brilliant fashion by making the only break of 50+ (74) in the entire match, thrashing Clark 74-0 in frame four.

After what started off as a tight frame, Slessor then took the lead in the match for the first time in the fifth, after Clark played a loose safety shot, with Slessor then finding himself among the balls and almost clearing up.

Slessor then sealed the win in the sixth frame, with a 56-37 score line after another tight affair, after neither player made any noticeable big break.

“It wasn’t the best game, was pretty scrappy, I’m just delighted to get through” Slessor told SportsByte.

The victory means that Slessor is now in uncharted territory, having never reached the second round of the tour in his career. Slessor will now face China’s Mei Xiwen on Wednesday night, and will be looking continue his great run of recent form.